EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/387844
EW IN OTHER NEWS 150 October 2014 At that point, no one knew the Communists would win a civil war after World War II and become the rulers of China, Dr. Lam said. The Americans wanted to find anyone they could who would also fight the Japanese. Two Sons of China is the story of an unlikely friendship between an American solider and a Chinese communist guerilla fighte . They have clashing views on government, was sent to the Chinese Nationalists. But as the war progressed, many Americans did not feel the Na- tionalists were avidly fighting the Japanese. To some, they appeared to prefer hoarding American weapons for use in a future civil war with the Communists, Dr. Lam explained. It was at this time that the Americans started to hear about Chinese gueril- la fighters in the north who ended up being Chinese Communists. Monday, October 20 5:30 - 7:30 pm | Hyatt McCormick Place Join Ophthalmic Women Leaders (OWL) and Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) for an intriguing program, wine-tasting reception and much more. Sponsored by: Ophthalmic Women Leaders Member Meetings OWL Office, McCormick Place S400B Saturday, October 18 8 to 9 am Hot Topics for Young Professionals & Those New to Ophthalmology 10 to 11 am Hot Topics for Those Who Work in Practice Settings 2 to 3 pm Hot Topics for Business Owners & Entrepreneurs 4 to 5 pm Hot Topics for Those Who Work in Corporate Settings Sunday, October 19 7 to 8:30 am Executive Roundtable Visit www.owlsite.org for information and to register Developing Leaders. Advancing the Industry. Building Community. Join us in Chicago! Ophthalmologist continued from page 149 religion, ethics, and the value of human life, but ultimately the bat- tles they fight and the horrors they witness during the war bring them together to form a strong bond of brotherhood. At the end of World War II, when American is forced to take sides between the Nationalists and the Communists, their friend- ship is tested. Saving Sight While waiting to publish Two Sons of China, Dr. Lam got the idea for another book, which ultimately became Saving Sight (Irie Books). "I wanted to write about the heroes of ophthalmology who had invent- ed the tools we use every day," he said. "All of these innovators were amazing, and in researching their stories, I realized that each of them overcame huge setbacks." Initially, his agent said that although it was an interesting topic, it was not a book that would be marketable to the general public, so Dr. Lam decided to blend those stories with his own experiences as a surgeon to take the reader behind the mask into the operating room to see what it is like to save sight. The book has been a bestseller on Amazon and has won literary awards in Europe and America, earn- ing an honorable mention at both the 2013 London and New England Book Festivals. It was also a finalist in the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. "It's great how that book has been a surprise hit," Dr. Lam said. Saving Sight focuses on a number of "eye heroes," many of whom were ostracized for their ideas. Sir Harold Ridley, MD, for example, was a British ophthalmologist whose brush with invention came during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Dr. Ridley saw a pilot who had been shot down and had plexiglass in his eyes, which was blinding him. To his surprise, Dr. Ridley noticed that the plexiglass was not causing infla - mation and was instead sitting inert in the eyes. About 9 years later, Dr. Ridley used plexiglass to create the first artificial intraocular lens. Howe - er, his innovation was ahead of its time, and it was so poorly received, he became depressed. It took many decades for the artificial lens to be accepted, and Dr. Ridley was finally recognized and knighted before he died. Other heroes featured in the book include Charles Kelman, MD, and Louis Braille. Dr. Kelman invented phacoemulsification after realizing an ultrasonic probe similar to one used in his dentist's office could be used for cataract removal. However, after discovering this in the 1960s, it took some time to be fully accepted in the ophthalmic community. Braille fought his whole life for his dot system to be used and died unknown in France in 1852. After Braille died, the French government realized the potential of the system and began to use it. They even dug up Braille's grave to bury him with other French heroes at the Pantheon in Paris. "My twin passions are to save sight as a retina surgeon and to write history in a way that's accessible to people," Dr. Lam said. "I would nev- er have been able to do these things if I didn't love what I was doing." EW Contact information Lam: email@AndrewLamMD.com Learn more about Dr. Lam and his books at www.AndrewLamMD.com.